Changes Chapter 3
"How
is that possible?" Storm stood in the front of the Professor. Still
she thought she was dreaming. "I mean…Logan saw it. He saw how
she destroyed you…"
The Professor nodded. "I know. I am as
confused as you are, Ororo. And the fact that it did happen worries
me too…"
Storm looked out of the window. "Why didn't you tell us?"
He knew what she meant. "I tried to contact you, but since this didn't work, I assumed that something was wrong. Normally, my powers should have been the same, even if I transferred my consciousness into another body…"
"So you believed that something was gong ob?"
"Of course, I hoped that I was wrong…"
Storm smirked. "Well, the good thing is that we got you back!"
The Professor returned the smile. "How are things here?"
She sighted and sat down on a chair. "It has been hard. Without you and Scott… We had to deal with so many things at once…"
Again he nodded. "What happened after I was gone?"
Storm told him everything she knew. About the battle, about Magneto being cured, how they fought so desperately against the Brotherhood… When she reached the part about the Phoenix, the Professor became serious.
"I see…", he said, looking down. "I thought that it must have ended like that…" He felt a great sadness within him. Not only that he lost one of his first students, it also hurt him that he wasn't able to help her… "How is Logan doing?"
Storm snorted. "Well, where do you want me to start?", she said, stood up again and began to walk up and down. "He doesn't talk with anyone, is aggressive like hell, doesn't eat, doesn't sleep as I assume and the last time I saw him he told me straight ahead that he doesn't give a damn on what I think. Oh, and before I forgot. When he did that he came from a Dangerroom instruction and from the way he looked, I assume that he used level 10. He is also not healing. Even Rogue can't get to him…"
Xavier nodded and sighted. "I see…I think I have done a terrible mistake…"
Storm put her hands on the chair and frowned. "What do you mean? What kind of mistake?"
The Professor turned his wheelchair and was on his way to the door. When he passed her, he gave her a short sign to follow him. "I thought he could deal with it. I knew he was the only one capable to stop the Phoenix, but as it seems I underestimated his feelings for her… Where is he now?"
"I guess where he always is", Storm shrugged. "Upstairs in his room."
When it knocked, Logan laid on his be. He grunted and turned his head towards the door. It knocked again. He rolled his eyes and closed them again, ignoring whoever it was in front of his room. He heard the door open and someone entering. Logan moved just a bit but his eyes were still closed. "Heard ya were back, Chuck…", he said and looked his visitor directly into the face. "Welcome back!"
The Professor stopped in front of him and smiled. "Hello Logan!"
Logan looked at him skeptically. "What do you want?"
"I just wanted to say hello."
"Really?" Logan gave Storm a quick glance. "Why is it so hard for me to believe that?"
The Professor still smiled. "I heard you're not feeling so well, so I wanted to check on you."
Logan snorted. "You can tell our EX-headmistress that I am fine and do not need to be checked on!"
His opposite felt the rage coming up inside the man in front of him. He concentrated a bit and suddenly Logan fell unconscious backwards.
Storm got a fright from it. "What did you do!", she asked the Professor nervously and came closer. Charles bent forward and put his hands next to Logan's head.
"I want to know why he refuses to sleep…"
"Refuses…!"
He closed his eyes and concentrated on the images he could see in the other ones head. Within seconds Logan woke up with a start. He breathed heavily and looked around as if he didn't know where he was. Finally, he found the shocked face of the Professor. Furious he jumped up. "Don't you ever do this again!", he hissed and stormed out of the room.
Ororo looked back and watched him, then she turned around again. She looked at the Professor, completely puzzled. "What the hell was that?"
Charley Xavier looked up and met her gaze. "It's even worse than I thought…"
She kneeled down and looked directly into his eyes. She didn't understand what was going on and desperately wanted to know what the Professor had seen in Logan's mind. "What do you mean?"
He was completely serious. "He hadn't had to kill the Phoenix. He killed Jean…"
On her way upstairs, Rogue bumped into Logan. Without paying any attention to her he kept on walking down the stairs. Surprised she watched him leaving. Finally, she shook her head and walked further up the stairs. As she reached the corridor to the dormitories, she saw Storm and the Professor coming towards her. "Hi", she greeted them.
"Have you seen Logan?", Storm ask and Marie could tell that both the Professor and her teacher looked worried.
"Uhm,…yeah. He just bumped into me. I think he was on his way to the outside. Did something happen?" She could feel that something was wrong.
"It's okay!", Storm said and walked away with the Professor following her.
During the following week Professor X took over his old courses again. Everyone was glad to have him back, even if no one could tell exactly how this miracle happened. Storm felt relieved that she hadn't had to deal with her role as a teacher and being the headmistress at the same time anymore. Everything had been too much for her. She had almost felt how the work had eaten her up inside more and more.
On her way to the library she met Hank who took over Jean's old classes twice a week, at least if he could make it. "Hank!", she greeted him cheerfully. "How are you doing?"
"Ororo", he smiled. "Never been better, How about you?"
"Same. Are you also on your way to the library?"
"That's right!"
Together they entered the giant room and looked for the books they needed. Besides the two of them the room was nearly completely empty. Only handful students were sitting around reading. After Storm had found a book, she was just about to lean against the window still as something in the garden caught her eye.
"What's wrong?", Hank asked as he noticed that she was watching something or someone on the outside. She just nodded into the direction she was looking at and he followed her lead.
"It's the first time I see him there…"
Hank gave her a quick glance. "Still the same with him?"
She nodded silently and went on to follow what was taking place in the garden.
In the meanwhile, Logan was slowly taking one step after the next, his eyes fixed on what was laying before him. The whole time he had done anything to avoid this place. Had taken the longest ways back to the mansion on his strolls at night, which he did if he was too tired again. So he avoided sleeping as well as he could… Not that he had been good in sleeping at night anyway, but since IT happened, he was afraid of it. She haunted him, the guilt he felt haunted him… He couldn't stand remembering it…
Finally, Logan arrived. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He knew it had to stop, knew that he had to go on…but still he couldn't. Slowly he opened his eyes again. He felt his heart beating triple rhythms in his chest as his gaze fell on the small gravestone. Logan sighted and put his hands into his jeans pockets. He did nothing more than standing in front of the tomb and looking at it, hoping that this visit would help him to get rid of his nightmares.
Suddenly, his fear strengthened and his senses kicked in. Logan looked around, tried to see, hear or smell anything which could explain his inner turmoil. But there was nothing to be seen…
Just as Logan turned his head again to look at the stone, the rug was pulled out from under him and he fell hard to the ground. Instinctively, he popped his claws and tried to steady himself as the earth began to shake heavily again, even stronger as before. He could feel the ground being torn apart, heard the anxious screams of the students onside the building…
As soon as it began as soon it was over again. Heavy breathing and concentrating on calming himself, Logan stood up and looked around. His claws still visible, he sensed someone on his closer surroundings. Logan gritted his teeth and raised his arms. If someone wanted to attack him, he would be ready…
Angrily he turned around, his claws ready to strike as he froze. Slowly he lowered his arms and his claws retracted behind his knuckles. Logan thought his heart stopped beating as he reminded himself to breath. Hardly breathing he tumbled backwards, his eyes fixed on the person standing in front of him. "It can't be…", he said barely audible.
